Fruit And Nut Pastries Food

RUGELACH

Steps:

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter and cream cheese together for 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
• Add in the sugar and salt and mix for 1 minute, scraping the sides as necessary.
• Turn mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just combined, don't over-mix.
• Place a large piece of plastic wrap onto your counter. Place the dough onto the plastic wrap and press it into a rectangle shape, approximately 1- inch thick. Wrap the dough tightly in the
• Reynolds Kitchens Quick Cut Plastic Wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, working with one piece at a time, placing the dough you aren't using back in the refrigerator.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12 x 8- inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup of the preserves evenly onto the dough. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the raisins and 1/4 cup walnuts evenly on top. Sprinkle about 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon sugar all over the top. Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a log. Place the log seam side down onto your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the process with the remaining dough placing the logs 2- inches apart on the baking sheet.
• Brush each log with milk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
• Using a very sharp knife, cut the logs 3/4 through (not all the way) into 1- inch slices.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes, and then transfer to a cutting board to slice all the way through.

FRUIT 'N' NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape into three 10-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

MIXED FRUIT-AND-NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time until combined; mix in vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in coconut, apricots, dates, macadamias, and pistachios.
• Drop batter, 2 heaping tablespoons at a time, onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer cookies on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool completely.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of one large 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or 2 smaller 8 x 4 loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt, baking powder and baking soda to combine. Add the brown sugar, all the dried fruit, and nuts and mix thoroughly with your fingers. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla extract until light. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands until all the fruits and nuts are coated with batter. Scrape into the prepared pan (pans).
• Bake until the top is deep golden brown and the batter clinging to the fruit seems set, about 1 hour for smaller loaves, 10-15 minutes longer for a large loaf. Tent loosely with foil if the cake appears to be browning too much. Cook completely in the pan(s) on a rack.
• When completely cool, remove the cake from the pan(s). The cake keeps, wrapped airtight in foil or plastic wrap, for several weeks at room temperature or at least 3 months in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for at least 6 months.
• To serve, cut into thin slices with a sharp heavy knife.

FRUIT AND NUT PASTRIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture until mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the dry ingredients.
• Beat the egg and milk together and pour into the well. Mix until a soft dough consistency.
• Divide the dough into two pieces and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix the honey and coffee in a mixing bowl. Add the candied peel, walnuts and nutmeg. Stir well, cover and leave for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Roll one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a 4 inch pastry cutter, stamp out rounds.
• Place a heaped teaspoon of filling on one side of each round. Brush the edges with milk, then fold over and press together to seal.
• Repeat with second piece of pastry until all the filling has been used.
• Place the pastries on lightly greased baking sheets, brush lightly across the top of each pastry with a little milk and sprinkle the powdered sugar across each piece.
• Make a steam hole in the center of each pastry with a skewer.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until slightly puffy and lightly browned.
• Cool on a wire rack.

FRUIT AND NUT FILLED PASTRY (VEGAN)

Steps:

• For the dough, put the flour, sugar and salt into a medium bowl.
• Add the margarine and oil, and cut in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• While tossing the mixture with a fork, gradually sprinkle the water on top.
• Gather the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for about 1 hour so it is easier to roll out.
• A food processor may be used to make the dough.
• After the water is added, process only about 10 seconds or until the dough begins to come together; do not over-process or the pastry will be tough.
• For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
• Note: If the raisins, figs, and prunes seem very dry and tough, soften them for about 20 minutes in hot water before chopping; then drain, pat dry and chop.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 22-inch-long by 6-inch-wide rectangle.
• Spoon the filling down the center, leaving a 2-inch border on both long edges and a 1/2-inch border at the ends.
• Bring the long edges up over the filling and pinch them tightly together.
• Then pinch the ends closed to form a long"snake" that encompasses the filling.
• Gently bend the snake into a"U"- or"S"-shape (so it will fit in your pan) and carefully transfer it to a greased or nonstick-spray coated or parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated 375-degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until golden.
• Cool the pastry for 10 minutes on the baking sheet; then carefully transfer it to a rack to cool more completely.
• It may be served warm at this point.
• Just before serving, sprinkle the pastry with sieved confectioners sugar.
• Cut it into wide slices to serve.